FUR TRADE

French Fur Trade

Table Of Contents

BY: Mrem Megahed - 1 EVEN

PAGE 1 - The table of contents
PAGE 2 - Relations with the Native Americans
PAGE 3 - All about the explorers
PAGE 4 - Why they traded
PAGE 5 - French expansion
PAGE 6 - The wars

PAGE 1

Relations with the Native Americans

In contrast to the British and Spanish, the French are going
to rely on heavily good relations with the Native Americans.
Early on the French settlement established a friendly
relationship with the Huron Indians in the area near the

Great Lakes. This relation is
an important aspect since
it began with trade. They
are doing this since the
Natives know where the
beavers are, and as you
read on you realize that
beavers play an important
role. The Natives also
owned valuable land that
the French desired, which
they could buy from the
Natives of the land. Not
only is this relationship
based on economic trade,
but is also a military
relationship.

PAGE 2

All about the explorers

In 1524 Giovanni Da Verrazano was an italian hired by the
French to go to the coast of what is
now South Carolina and Nova
Scotia. Unfortunately, he did not
find anything. In 1534 Jacques
Cartier established France’s claim to
the area
we now
know as
Candida.

In 1608 Samuel De Champlain,
who is
known
as,
“the
Father of New France” established
France's empire at Quebec. This
was the first permanent
settlement in the French Empire.

PAGE 3

Why they traded

Europeans first traded with the Indians during the 1500s. In
exchange, the Indians received European manufactured goods

such as guns, metal
cooking utensils,
cloth and even
alcohol. Before trade,
Native Americans
did not have access
to this, so it will
change their way of
life greatly. France
came to the Canada even though it contained cold and rough
weather at times, in pursuit of the beaver. This trade item will be
found to be very important for the colony of France. Trading
was followed by many wars, but in the end the Native
Americans and French
both benefited. If the
Native Americans gave
the French beaver pelts,
not only would they
receive European goods,
but the French must then

PAGE 4

help fight against Iroquois, the Hurons’ traditional enemy.

French expansion

The French were able to cover many territories, but the French
empire in North America is going to be a slow expansion. There
are many factors as to why it grew so slowly. New France had

bad weather, Canada
was cold and of was
not easy to live there
without a way to
keep yourself warm.
There were threats
from the Iroquois
Indians. There were
no cash crops, gold
or silver, tobacco or
sugar - nothing to
get rich off of. The
population of a largely Catholic New France grew at a very slow
pace also. By the 1700 about 250K Europeans lived in the English
colonies. 15K were in the French North America, and there were
4,000 in Spanish North America. In the end, by 1750 the French
territory is large when it comes to space. They have a little bit more
people than the Spanish, but less when compared to the British
colonies.

PAGE 5

The wars

All three of these wars
start in Europe. King William’s
War began on 1689 until 1697.
This war did not really have
an effect on changes being
down to who owned what
land and anything like that.
The balance of power
between England and France
is maintained. The second
one is Queen Anne’s War that started in 1702 - 1713. The
aftermath of this war, however, is very different. The British took
over Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, & Hudson Bay from New
France. Lastly, King George's War follows being the third to take
place during 1742 - 1748. During the war, British colonist captured
the French fort of Louisbourg. After the peace treaty was signed
the French were given that fort back; angering the colonist. They
believed it was there land and they wanted it; so the British
denied them. The most important battle took place in 1754 - The
French and Indian War. Unlike the other three, this war started
in North America. At the end of the French and Indian War,
France lost their North American Empire.

PAGE 6

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